Jemma
by elvishangel11
Summary: A forest gnome is a folk hero of her town. On the day before the full moon, she prepares to return home for a ceremony.


Chapter 1: The Day of the Full Moon

It was early morning. The sky was a dark blue-gray with a low hanging canopy of clouds threatening rain. Fingers of fog wove its way between tall redwoods, giant sequoias, and Douglas firs, which seemed to march over the rolling hills in silent procession. They stood at attention, sentinels waiting out the last hours of darkness. The silence was absolute save the soft dripping of moisture through the leaves. The day was not yet a day, and yet it was no longer night.

High in a giant sequoia tree, at the crux of the topmost branches, an eagle's nest sat: a mishmash of twigs, moss, and brambles. Eagles typically return to the same nest that they built year after year with their partner. It had been a secret fortress. Situated high in the tree, one could see everything for miles around. Yet this eagle's nest was long abandoned, as both eagle partners had died long before. Fledglings never return home, so no eagle missed the nest. Now barren, it sat as a sturdy monument to the lives it had once served.

On this morning, however, a small figure slept completely hidden within the nest's embrace. The creature had taken it up and patched it in places where it had begun to show signs of wear. If one got up close, one could see bits of cloth, wood, and other materials beyond the materials used by eagles in nest-making. This creature had ensured that despite its vacancy, it would not decay, and had given it new purpose. She was was not the size of humans, at least most humans, in fact she was not even three feet tall. The nest was the perfect size for her.

As the morning wore on, the nest's silhouette grew more prominent, against the cloudy sky. A distant bird sang a muffled song, breaking the silence. A slight breeze rocked the sequoia's branches. The creature in the nest stirred.

She turned over, half awake, half asleep, and muttered something under her breath. There she was, a tiny forest gnome, a hundred feet high off the ground when she should be sleeping underground in a burrow.

More birds began to sing as the forest woke up to the gray dawn. Squirrels began to chirp and scurry through the trees, tiny shadows that ran up and down the massive trees.

She opened her eyes, which were a startling blackish-brown. It was impossible to see where her pupil ended and the iris began. Her eyes were similar to a rodent's this way, but more intelligent and wise. There was no white visible around the edge, and some thought that a gnome's entire eye was black. This wasn't entirely true, as some gnomes have eyes a deep electric blue, but those eyes seemed not to have a pupil at all.

As the light grew, her mostly pine-green hair became more apparent,which also had mousy brown streaks throughout. The gnome stretched her slim, limber limbs out, and shivered. She quickly shrunk back down. "Oy, it's cold," me muttered to herself. While mostly covered in her woolen blanket, her face showed her light reddish brown skin, which looked grey in the dim light. However, in bright sunshine it became as fiery as a sunset. She had a white scar under her left eye, which stretched from nose to ear, from a fight with a mountain lion years before, and she wore the skin and fur of the mountain lion as her trophy.

She was Jemmabonk Goldendyne, and she was destined for great things.

Staring out of the nest for a moment, she sighed, then sat up. She had slept here many times before, but today felt different.

It was certainly a Full Moon Day, for which she needed to return to her home burrow. Tradition said that the light of a full moon gave Auxilia, goddess of the forest and creator of trees, light enough to see those who are worthy of her attention, and families prepared as much as they could for her arrival. The most holy day was Dubbel, or the night that a second full moons appeared in a single month.

Jammabonk's village, Halakull, for the most part worshipped Auxilia, and the full moon was the most holy phenomenon. If the family was chosen, the goddess may visit and bless their burrows as she wandered through the forest. Blessed burrows were always graced with a sequoia branch strung through the handle of the front door. It was forbidden to cut branches from the giant sequoia trees that graced the hills in which they lived, and was thought as the reason for the trees' long lives. Some trees were recorded as being many thousands of years old, and had grown so wide and so tall, Jemmabonk's entire village could roost in the tree (if they weren't so afraid of heights). Jemmabonk knew that the Goldendyne household had been visited the night of her birth, which had been the night of a full moon, though no one ever saw the goddess. The baby gnome had been marked with a good omen that night. While many births had happened on a full moon, the appearance of a sequoia branch on the door was extremely rare.

Jemmabonk rose, wincing as she thew her blanket off of her, and made a bird call. Her peregrine falcon, E'yas, made her way to the nest, having slept nearby at her own cliffside nest in a nearby bluff. Jemmabonk held out her arm. The falcon flapped her powerful wings once, twice to gain her balance, then settled on the gnome's leather bracer. Jemmabonk closed her eyes and E'yas bent her gray-blue head, and they touched foreheads in greeting. This was their usual greeting, though unusual for falcons. Birds of prey are almost never affectionate, but gnomes have a way with creatures that allow for a deeper understanding.

E'yas was very large compared to her gnome friend, but there was love between them, even more so than any pet and owner. E'yas was Jemmabonk's companion, and had helped her defend Halakull many times against monsters and unsavory wanderers. The falcon could go away any day she wished, but she chose to stay with the gnome. Other falcons in the area even tried to hunt the gnomes of Halakull, but E'yas defended her territory around Halakull against them.

"We have to go back today," Jemmabonk said to her falcon. "They'll want us there."

E'yas seemed to nod in agreement, and clicked his beak.

"After breakfast?" Jemmabonk asked. Another nod.

E'yas took off to find breakfast, and Jemmabonk watched her. She flapped up slightly above the trees, then ducked and gained speed in a swooping motion to scan the area for small birds. The gnome felt a pang of pride seeing the peregrine falcon-the fastest of any animal in the world-fly free. She knew that nothing stood a chance of getting away when E'yas could dive at almost 200 miles per hour. Her power and grace was unrivaled in the natural world, in Jemmabonk's opinion. She stood in awe a moment before she snapped back and glanced around for her things. The nest was practically bare except for her leather pack-which held her herbalism kit, knife, and wood chisel-and her blanket, which she rolled up and strapped on her pack. She also had a small sword, a short sword to humans, that she strapped on her pack before descending the tree.

Jemmabonk did not need ladders to climb up and down trees. Being just over three feet tall, she was small and nimble and could find handhold sized cracks in the tree bark. She was an anomaly among her kind, as gnomes were usually deathly afraid of heights and stayed on the ground. In fact, most gnomes spent most of their time underground, getting out occasionally to explore the forests and grasslands. Jemmabonk was always different, and was recognized and loved as such. She was not afraid of heights or even beings larger than her. The trees were her second home.

As Jemmabonk climbed down the giant sequoia trunk, the breeze and fresh air was replaced by the moist smell of humus soil. Her arms, while strong, always got slightly shaky toward the end of her climb. She was not the most athletic, but was definitely stronger than most gnomes of Halakull. She couldn't swing from branch to branch like the creatures she had heard talk of from the south, but she could sit on a tree branch and watch

She jumped off the trunk at the bottom, the forest's undergrowth crunching beneath her small gnomish feet. She walked around to the north side of the tree, where a huge crack in the bark was visible, which sunk down into a small underground burrow. She had covered it with a large chunk of wood and brambles to keep any critters out. She had told most small animals around here that if they touched her food, she would feed them to E'yas, so most kept out regardless. If needed, she would use her magic to lay a skunk smell over the opening, to deter any suspecting animals. Worked every time.

The sunken hideaway was about four by four feet, and was where Jemmabonk could huddle down during a storm. She didn't store anything there permanently, but would sometimes leave food in there to stay out of the hot sun in the day and away from searching creatures at night. She pulled away the protective wood, and edged her way inside. Once clear of the opening, she stood up where most humans would have to crouch. Although it was cool and damp outside, it was dry in here.

On the far side there was a burlap bag and her wooden shield. She picked up and opened the brown burlap bag where she kept her rations, which was now mostly empty. She kept a supply of fruit, vegetables, bread, and cheese, which usually kept for a week or so. She stuck her small hand in and pulled out a hard lump of cheese and an apple. The apple was on its way out, but she ate it anyway. The cheese hard and stale, but still edible. She sat and ate in the silence of her underground lair.

After her meager breakfast, she sheard E'yas call from outside. She rolled up the now empty burlap, and stuck it inside her pack. She grabbed her shield and shouldered her pack, now heavy with its new contents. She stepped back out and replaced the covering, setting magic on the spot. It would wear off in a few hours, so she would likely have to clear anything out the next day. She shrugged and turned to greet E'yas. While she didn't see the bird, she stuck out her gauntlet, and E'yas appeared with something in her mouth. The bird dropped it for Jemmabonk—a squirrel.

"Well, that's much better than the breakfast I just had," said Jemma. "Found enough for both of us today, I'm guessing?" E'yas seemed to nod, and took off. Picking up the squirrel, she thought for a moment, and her stomach growled under her leather armor. Sighing, she made her way back to the trunk of the tree.

Jemmabonk then found her usual campfire pit, but instead of starting her fire immediately, she faced outward from the tree's base toward the empty forest, looking intently out into the semidarkness. She took a deep, slow breath. As she exhaled, she closed her eyes, and furrowed her brow. Raising her hands, palms out, she seemed to push on the air in front of her with all of her might. Had a person been standing in front of her, they would have seen her hands raise, then her whole campsite vanish. Neither Jemma, her campfire pit, her shield, or bag would be visible. Once her fire was lit, this would conceal the smoke and light from the fire, as well.

Once the spell was finished, she turned around again to get the fire going. Once it was hot and dancing, she sat on a small log by the fire and pulled out her knife. She rushed through skinning the squirrel and nearly cut her finger off, but the sun was beginning to rise and she was running out of time. Taking a clean stick, she shoved it through the squirrel meat, and set it on her makeshift rotisserie. She then took a swath of burlap and a piece of parchment out of her bag, and rolled the squirrel skin in it. She would make it into leather later.

While the meat cooked, she turned it slowly. It wouldn't be long now until the sun was up and shining through the trees. The fog hadn't completely dispersed and there were still areas of gloom. She had to get going as soon as she was finished. E'yas could be seen overhead, soaring in the warming morning air.

Then she heard a sound. Gnome ears were more sensitive than human ears, which gave her the advantage of seeing someone before they could see her. Luckily with her enchantment around her camp, she would be hidden for the time being. Unfortunately her spell only hid her campsite, but did not cover completely the smell of the cooking meat, nor the sound of the fire. These would be faded to a nearby creature, but not completely masked.

Jemma immediately pushed dirt over the fire with her foot, resulting in a puff of smoke. She stepped silently back against the tree, where her pack lay, picking up her sword in its scabbard in the same motion. E'yas was no longer visible in the sky, she noticed, as she glanced around. She did not draw her weapon, hoping her spell and silence would keep her hidden.

Out of the morning gloom, she saw a tall, pale woman, hooded in a dirty forest green cloak. Her face was completely obscured, but her hair fell in a long braid over her right shoulder, as orange as a sunset after a storm. She walked purposefully toward Jemma, as if she knew she was there. Jemmabonk smiled to herself, and thought she'd play an early morning joke. She took a deep breath, sharper than the first time, put on hand on her forehead, the other out in front of her.

Suddenly, a voice, sounding just like Jemmabonk's, sounded from far to her right, saying, "You're going the wrong way!" The woman stopped, looking that direction, squinting. She looked up.

The same voice, but gruffer and far to the left said, "Are you friend or foe?" The woman barked a laugh, then said "Foe, if you don't tell me where you really are. I thought I saw a glimmer over there." She pointed at where Jemmabonk stood.

The spell in front of Jemma vanished, showing an empty campsite. "Wrong again!" said the voice.

"What?" said the woman. Then something tapped her on the shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

Behind her was Jemmabonk, sword drawn, a smug toothy grin on her face. The woman laughed. "As if you can best me? I'll take you down in a second." She drew her sword, thin and curved toward the tip, and pointed it at Jemma.

The woman slashed downward, quickly but not to kill, and in the same moment Jemma jumped toward a tree trunk, jumped off, and landed on the woman's shoulders. Jemma pulled her forward by her cloak. The woman toppled, cloak pulling over her face, and the two fell into a heap on the ground. Laughing, the woman struggled to get untangled from her cloak, as Jemma stood up and brushed her armor off.

"I win again!" she said gleefully, doing a little jig by herself. "You can never sneak up on me, even if you tried."

The woman, hair now disheveled with pine needles sticking out of it, stood up and shrugged off her pack and cloak. She was laughing the entire time. What was revealed was a slender wood elf, immeasurably beautiful and ageless. She wore leather armor, like Jemmabonk, but hers was skillfully made and much worn. Her flawless face was lifted in a grin, mirroring Jemma.

Her name was Arakirel, and she lived in the city of ************. She was Jemma's best friend-at least among the people outside her own family. And there were very few of those. Arakriel was about 500 years old, but she had honestly stopped counting. Jemmabonk was of a similar age, relatively speaking. While Jemmabonk was considered a young adult in gnome-kind, so was Arakriel. They had a lot in common that way, even with the fact they were completely different.

Jemma picked up her dropped sword. "You almost got me, but I heard you coming. What are you doing over this way? I can't talk long, though. I need to get back for the full moon festival."

The wood elf frowned. "Oh, right. I forgot you can't skip out on the celebration." She looked around, thinking. "I actually came to talk to you about something important. It's no big deal, so I can wait until after you are done at the festival to mention it. Are you coming back here when it's over?"

Jemmabonk's grin waned, and looked concerned. "Is everything alright? I mean… you're right, I can't miss this festival. I need to leave, well, now…" She trailed off.

"It's really not important. I can find you after and we can go from there," Arakriel smiled, suddenly more formal, distant. "Don't trouble yourself." She began to gather her things off the ground.

Jemmabonk was nonplussed. Her friend had just arrived, and at a word was ready to leave.

"Wait, one moment, Arakriel, my oldest and best of friends. You are telling me that you came all this way just to turn around and leave?" She sheathed her sword. "You never journey off of your land unless it is something important. You could have sent me a pigeon if you needed to tell me something, but you didn't. Whatever is happening, it can't be 'not important,' or you would have found another way to tell me."

She paused, thinking. "Whatever it is, you are going to have to tell me as soon as possible, but I can't stay. Will you come with me to Halakull?"

Arakriel looked uncomfortable. "Jemma… your family won't let me come peacefully. You know that." She walked up to the gnome, facing her. Arakriel's face was at least three heads above Jemma's. "They'd never forgive you."

Jemma deflated slightly. "I know. You are right." She shifted, looking up. "E'yas still isn't back. Maybe she went without me."

"Don't change the subject," said Arakriel. "If you want me to come, I'll come. I can also wait here for you, but I don't have much in the way of rations." She paused, then resolve hardened her elven features.

"I will come with you only if I can announce what I have to say to your village."

Jemma's pencil-thin eyebrows came together. "So it IS important. You were lying to me?" She frowned, facetiously, but then tapped her chin, thinking.

"Let's do this: I will go back for preparations today, since I need to be there. We will break the news on the morrow, when the sun has fully risen and the moon has set. You will need to wait outside Halakull, since your presence will distract from the festivities. I mean, it's not like you can blend in." Jemma gestured to Arakriel, indicating how tall she was.

Her friend nodded. "That's a sound plan. I will break the news to you then." She sighed, and bowed her head.

Jemmabonk stood, also frowning. Her frown broke, and she giggled. "Don't be so serious, elf friend. You're always serious. Life's too short to think too hard about life." She went to grab her things off the ground, laughing, and brushed the dirt off her pack. Throwing her pack over her back she noticed Arakriel still stoically standing, unmoved.

"Arakriel," Jemma stepped forward and placed her hands on Arakriel's elbows. "You've lived hundreds of years. What is another day to you? I know you are trying to prove yourself, but sometimes you just need to stop work and enjoy life. I intend to do that today, whatever the cost."

Arakriel shifted. "I can wait a hundred days with no consequence, but one day in this case might make all the difference. I hope we aren't too late."

"Ugh…" Jemma replied. "Your name should be Arakriel the Doombringer."

"And your name should be Jemmabonk the Carefree," fired back Arakriel.

Jemmabonk burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. "Only an elf would think that's an insult!"

Still laughing, she began to walk west toward Halakull. She called behind her, "See you tomorrow!" She began whistling a tune, the trees beginning to swallow her up.

Arakriel was left standing there, fuming. She had held herself together, which was the forte of elves. She stared at her friend's back as her face betrayed her fear.


End file.
